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It's No Choke: the Long-Term Consequences of Choking in Sport

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It's No Choke: the Long-Term Consequences of Choking in Sport It’s hard to describe how that type of collapse makes you feel. Especially when you keep doing it over and over. I felt empty, angry...a failure… (After choking) I walked into the clubhouse…and drank (alcohol) …I got in the car and drove home. I was massively over the limit the longer-term. That is, through the act of choking, they learnt Accordingly, we offer the following recommendations for how to manage themselves more effectively during subsequent practitioners working with athletes who are choking-susceptible: pressurised performances (e.g. adopt a pre-shot routine and 1. If an athlete chokes, encourage the use of thought stopping and process goals). This was also found to be the case for the majority mindfulness to prevent brooding rumination. of athletes within Hill and Shaw’s (2013) study, in which they 2. An athlete should reflect on his/her choking experience with examined the choking phenomenon within the team sport setting. another individual (e.g. a coach/sport psychologist) who can Hence, our current research (Hill et al., in press) has examined direct learning and encourage constructive reflection. further the consequences of choking and attempted to make 3. Any athlete who reflects in a highly self-critical/destructive sense of why its impact appeared destructive for certain athletes, manner may benefit from Rational Emotion Behavioural while constructive for others. From a sample of 11 competitive Therapy to address potential cognitive distortions. They should golfers, seven reported the consequences of choking had been then be better-placed to reflect on any choking experiences constructive, and demonstrated adversity-related growth. constructively. As explained through the affective-cognitive processing model of 4. Support an athlete to challenge/replace dysfunctional post-traumatic growth (ACPM; Joseph et al., 2012), these golfers attributions post-choke with those that reinforce personal appraised positively the adversarial event of choking, by using control over pressurised performance. delayed (i.e. a few days after the event) and dual-reflection (with a 5. A choking-susceptible athlete should enhance his/her resilience coach/sport psychologist), to learn from the experience. Through through mental-fortitude training (Fletcher & Sarkar, 2016). this process, they were able to modify their pre-adversity assumptions, improve their ability to manage their emotions It’s no choke: the long-term consequences effectively under pressure, and gain a sense of mastery/control over future pressurised performances. of choking in sport The remaining four golfers reported destructive long-term consequences from their choking event(s), whereby they Drs Denise Hill and Paul Gorczynski discuss the consequences of choking in sport on athletic well-being. appraised the choke(s) negatively/self-critically, and engaged with brooding rumination (i.e. revisiting the choke and associated Dr Denise Hill Athletes describe choking in sport as a dramatic, catastrophic and The golfer Rory McIlroy choked in equally “spectacular” fashion negative thoughts/emotions in their minds). This response Denise is a Senior Lecturer of Sport and Exercise Psychology, a acute collapse in performance standards, when performing under during the 2011 Masters. He entered the final round with a four- lowered their self-confidence and perceived self-control to such BASES accredited sport and exercise scientist and a member of the pressure (Mesagno & Hill, 2013). It is unsurprising therefore, that shot lead, only to drop seven strokes in six holes, on route to a an extent, they began to consider the choke was “inevitable” Elite Sport Performance research group at Swansea University. choking has become a frequent topic of discussion among athletes, remarkable score of 80 (eight over) that would leave him tied when playing under pressure. In accordance with the ACPM, coaches, media and sports fans, and a phenomenon of interest for 15th place. While McIlroy acknowledged the choke led to such negative appraisal of the adversarial event may have led to Dr Paul Gorczynski to sport psychologists and researchers. Over the last decade, extreme distress, he used the experience as motivation, which a failure to resolve the issues that caused choking, and thereby Paul is a Senior Lecturer of Sport and Exercise Psychology within researchers have provided an increasingly detailed account of informed improvements to his game (technical and psychological increase the golfers’ susceptibility to further adversity under the Department of Sport and Exercise Science, University of the antecedents and mechanism of choking, while also identifying aspects). Thus, in contrast to Boswell, McIlroy went on to win the pressure. Portsmouth. His research expertise lies within the mental health and situational/individual moderators that can increase an athlete’s next major of that year (US Open), where he asserted the choking It remains unclear why most of the golfers reflected positively well-being of athletes. susceptibility to choke (see Mesagno et al., 2015). More recently, event had acted as the catalyst for victory. Anecdotally, it does on their choking event(s), while four reflected negatively/ such work has also informed a range of strategies that may seem that the consequences of choking can be substantive, and self-critically. Though it appears that social support is likely to References: prevent the choke from occurring (see Gröpel & Mesagno, 2017). hold the potential to be either destructive or constructive. have played a role. That is, those who gained adversity-related Fletcher, D. & Sarkar, M. (2016). Mental fortitude training: An evidence-based growth did access expert guidance (e.g. a golf professional/ approach to developing psychological resilience for sustained success. Journal of If I was no good at sport, then I was nothing…To be no good at the sport psychologist), which helped them reflect constructively Sport Psychology in Action, 7, 135-157. on, and understand, their choking episode(s). Equally, it was Gröpel, P. & Mesagno, C. (2017). Choking interventions in sports: A systematic one thing I thought I was best at, is heart-breaking. All I did every surmised that the four golfers who reflected destructively, may review. International Review of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 6, 1-26. have held “cognitive distortions” (Hope et al., 2010) whereby Gucciardi, D.F. et al. (2010). Experienced golfers’ perspectives on choking night was beat myself up. It wasn’t worth being here if I wasn’t good their automatic negative appraisal of their choking events were under pressure. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 32, 61-83. consistent with their unhelpful core beliefs. Hill, D.M. et al. (in press). Consequences of choking in sport: A constructive or at golf. Life wasn’t worth living… destructive experience? The Sport Psychologist. Finally, and critically, the four golfers in question confirmed Hill, D.M. et al. (2010). A qualitative exploration of choking in elite golf. Journal It is interesting to note however, that little research attention has Of the limited empirical evidence available, Hill et al. (2010) previous reports that athlete well-being can be affected in the of Clinical Sport Psychology, 4, 221-240. been directed towards examining the consequences of choking. found within their study of elite golfers, that choking tended to long-term as a result of choking. Indeed, in one case, this also led Hill, D.M. et al. (2011). Alleviation of choking under pressure in elite golf: An That is, whether the experience can have a long-term impact on lower self-confidence and encourage negative affect/cognitions to self-destructive behaviour, with athletic identity appearing to action research study. The Sport Psychologist, 25, 465-488. the performer and his/her future pressurised performances. for a “period of time,” This would leave the golfer progressively influence this outcome: Hill, D.M. & Shaw, G. (2013). A qualitative examination of choking under Most cricket fans will remember the Leicestershire bowler vulnerable to choke under pressure thereafter. Importantly, …It’s hard to describe how that type of collapse makes you pressure in team sport. Psychology of Sport & Exercise, 14, 103-110. Scott Boswell, who choked under pressure in the 2001 a small number of the golfers also suggested that choking feel. Especially when you keep doing it over and over. I felt Hope, D.A. et al. (2010). Automatic thoughts and cognitive restructuring in Cheltenham & Gloucester Final. He produced what is still diminished their self-esteem/well-being - a finding that received empty, angry...a failure…(After choking) I walked into the cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder. Cognitive Therapy & referred to as “…the worst over ever,” which lasted 14 balls and additional support from a longitudinal study with choking- clubhouse…and drank (alcohol)…I got in the car and drove Research, 34, 1-12. included six wides. Boswell later admitted that the “trauma” of susceptible professional golfers (Hill et al., 2011). The following home. I was massively over the limit…That behaviour is Joseph, S., Murphy, D. & Regel, S. (2012). An affective-cognitive processing model of post-traumatic growth. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 19, 316-324. this choking episode, shaped the remainder of his life. Namely, pertinent insight was offered by one of the participants: inexcusable…I doubt anyone would understand why I did it... Mesagno, C., Geukes, K. & Larkin, P. (2015). Choking under pressure: A he felt unable to remain within competitive cricket due to his If I was no good at sport, then I was nothing…To be no good It’s just an indication of how choking made me feel…I just review of current debates, literature, and interventions. In S.D. Mellalieu & S. constant vomiting and inability to replicate a “normal” bowling at the one thing I thought I was best at, is heart-breaking. All I needed to blank it out. Choking really damaged my self- Hanton (Eds.), Contemporary advances in sport psychology: A review (pp. 148- action when subsequently exposed to pressure.
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